The electric power steering apparatus is generally operable when an engine is rotating with the ignition key turned on. Therefore, steering force assistance by means of the motor is disabled when the ignition key is turned off to deactivate the engine. Specifically, a main circuit for electric power supply to the motor has a motor relay contact inserted therein (see, for example, Patent Document 1), which is so controlled as to open in response to the operation of turning off the ignition key.
However, there may be a problem that, for example, a driver, having put the car into the garage and stopped the engine, does not like the position of the front wheels. In this case, the driver has to take the trouble of restarting the just stopped engine in order to change the position of the front wheels by the assist of the electric power steering apparatus.